MARIETTA — Marietta Police Chief Dan Flynn said he’s turned the case of a law firm’s exploding mailbox over to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the U.S. Postal Service.

“So pending their investigation, the case may be adopted for federal prosecution,” Flynn said.

Marietta attorney Angel Cordle and one of her clients, David Eugene Haynes, have been charged with felony criminal damage following an explosion in a mailbox in front of law offices occupied by three other attorneys on Atlanta Street in the city.

Cordle said her attorney, Kevin Rodgers, told her she wasn’t allowed to speak about the case to the press.

“I can say I would love to talk to you, but I don’t want to hinder the investigation, and my attorney told me not to do that, but I’m cooperating with the police to get the perpetrators that did this,” Cordle said. “I’ve cooperated from the very beginning. I’ve done everything in my power to assist the police, and I guess that’s all I’m really allowed to say. I’m innocent. I can say that.”

Police say Cordle and Haynes stopped at the law offices occupied by Marian Weeks, Justin Wyatt and Lawrence Burke, on the evening of Dec. 21.

Haynes, according to the warrant, got out of the car and placed an explosive device in the mailbox and returned to the car. The device then exploded, destroying the mailbox.

“As a property owner on Frasier Street off of Atlanta Street, I appreciate the efforts of Mr. Haynes and Angel Cordle in trying to help the police locate the vandals that damaged the mailbox at 367 Atlanta Street, and that also damaged property at Ms. Cordle’s property immediately beforehand,” Coats wrote in his email. “Ms. Cordle has cooperated with all police efforts from giving a statement to police immediately upon their arrival, and she has continued to cooperate with the investigation. Ms. Cordle absolutely denies damaging any property and will follow her attorney’s instruction to not make any statements that could hinder the investigation. We certainly regret the controversy and speculations which have arisen, and appreciate the outpouring of support we have received from individuals who are aware of the circumstances.”

Coats purchased the 1844-era antebellum Bostwick-Fraser House in 2007 from developer Wes Godwin to use as law offices for Cordle’s practice. The Bostwick-Fraser House is located around the corner from where the explosion occurred.

Marietta Police Officer David Baldwin said both Cordle and Haynes have been released on bond following the criminal damage charges.

Baldwin said investigators are still trying to determine what substance was used to blow up the mailbox.

“Depending on what was used to blow up the mailbox, other charges could still be pending,” he said.

The witness to the incident was Weeks’ paralegal, Erin Fox, who was taking her three children and their 14-year-old friend to see the Lights of Life exhibit that evening at Life University.

“The victim (Fox) and her juvenile children were in close proximity to the mailbox and could have been struck by shrapnel from the destroyed mailbox,” the warrant reads.

Flynn said the area of the explosion does not usually have problems with vandalism.

“No crime patterns in the neighborhood,” Flynn said. “This is an unusual kind of crime and especially for Marietta.”

Burke, one of the three attorneys whose mailbox was blown up, expressed shock at what happened.

“We’ve not experienced anything on a similar level at any point in time,” Burke said. “I could not understand why anyone would do that to begin with.”

Burke, who also serves as an associate judge in Marietta Municipal Court, said he’s practiced out of his office for more than a decade.

“For someone to say that there’s vandalism in the area and that’s the reason for it I think is a pretty far stretch as well,” he said.

Burke said he can’t understand why anyone would target their law office.

“I don’t know Angel Cordle myself personally very well at all,” he said. “I know that two of the other attorneys have had dealings — cases where they’ve been on opposite sides — with her, Marian Weeks and Justin Wyatt, but I’m unaware of any bad blood.”

Baldwin said police were also trying to establish a motive.

“Right now there is not a clear motive as to why they did it,” Baldwin said. “It’s reported that there may be some issues between these two, but we don’t know what led up to this.”

Ms. Cordle's reputation among attorneys is not as a straight shooter. She is known as charming, shrewd and someone whose word must be in writing or it will be denied.

There are logical reasons why someone in her position would not do this, but prisons have plenty of intelligent people that do stupid things. I do not know if she did it. I don't know if she had a personal relationship with her client. Attorneys are not supposed to, but it happens all too often. Perhaps they had one too many afternoon drinks. Perhaps she was persuaded by her client. Perhaps the bomb went off accidentally instead of a few hours later. Perhaps the moron went to the wrong box and it was meant for one of the other attorneys in the building who regularly tangle with Ms Cordle.

Charges by police are based on probable cause. Ms. Cordle is not part of a discreet group who regularly suffers from discrimination. As an attorney, I am sure the police used an extra bit of caution before charging her.

The investigation is still ongoing. There is no reason to say at this point whether she is guilty or not. I feel sorry for her if she is innocent as she has no doubt suffered a great deal of personal and professional embarrassment over this.

I am familiar with this case and heard that it was closed, but my sources are in fact unreliable. How did you discover that the investigation is still ongoing?

Thanks

Michael Behrens

|

May 07, 2013

To all of the extremely knowledgeable people posting comments about why (or) how this COULD NOT have been the suspects contained in the warrant. This fine upstanding citizen with several pieces of paper on her wall attesting to that fact could have not possibly done this...but some 19yo male living off Lemon ST who decides to run into a store and hold it up is the gospel. Sure, the police are in the business of arresting people who are usually innocent. Stop watching drama shows that paint police in negative light and face facts. The investigating officers didn't arrest based on one persons on scene eye witness statements.

By now the have pulled video from MULTIPLE locations in the area of the suspects coming and going, the activity on scene, and in many cases those videos can be tracked back to a residence with all the traffic cameras in addition to business security systems.

Regardless of how intelligent someone is has nothing to do with them getting caught for a crime. How many wall street geniuses have served time?

All of you are judging this case on emotion. Bottom line is yes innocent until proven guilty, but arrests are made based on investigators having REASONABLE SUSPICION WICH AFTER GATHERING VARIOUS FORMS OF EVIDENCE THEY THEN APPLY TO A JUDGE PRESENTING PROBABLE CAUSE who allows the arrest or further searching of domiciles or other property based on that PROBABLE CAUSE.

Seriously people....use some logic here. Even a less than average intelligent person would not use there own vehicle especially a fairly high profile person who works in the vicinity and drives a distinctly unique vehicle! Ms. Cordle is a well established, successful attorney with years of experience in family law. And do you really think she would support any client to the point she would risk her career? I am floored by the number of people who take everything they hear at face value.....those are small minds. If you think you are hearing the fll story then you clearly have nit experienced very much life. And btw what give Ms. Fox so much credibility? Seems to me she is making an awful lot of noise for someone who's story is beyond questionable. Maybe her attorneys should recommend she hold off on all the comments to save herself......or maybe she is consumed by her own agenda and what she is going to attempt to get out of this ($$$). The person holding a paintbrush and painting an elaborate picture in the town square hoping everyone will stop to view it can paint any picture they want and call it realism, but that does not make it true! This picture may work to influence the case in the near term, but I feel quite sure it will fall apart in the long term. Ms. Cordle is an honorable attorney who is straightforward and fair. Professionals of her calibre didn't gain their reputations by chance. Please think before you pass judgment on situations you could not possibly have all the information on.

Something sounds amiss here- especially with ms. fox- Let's be honest there would be a lot of people probably especially jaded clients that would have motive to do that more than Ms Cordle across the street possibly- In addition, last I checked Angel would have reason to be in that area during that time since her office is directly across the street.

This ms. fox sounds fishy to me- I could be wrong seems like an odd time for her to be driving by with her kids just at that time to see the lights at Life University that is no where in route to that area- that makes her a possible suspect just as much as Angel if anything if I were the police the fact that she is the eyewitness to put someone in jail she has more incentive to sell that story to the police as well- In addition, she may have possible motive since it is her employer- I read her in the papers she seems to enjoy the spotlight a little too much for my taste commenting like crazy I noticed her bosses are not commenting and its their property, fyi-

Even notice where she is checking comments on the MJD to see what people are writing and replied to a comment that seems strange to say the least and seems like she enjoys the attention this is getting for me-

for example, doesn't make any sense why an educated attorney across the street unless you can show me motive would drive by in prime time and subject her very noticeable hummer to be in that area that is easily recognizable if she planned on doing such an act seems like there would be a better time to do it- Let's say for arguments sake if someone else planted it wouldn't that leave whoever just happened to drive by at the time vunerable to this accusation? Angel would be set up to drive by at different times since she works across the street, fyi- The whole thing smells of a set up- The dreaded eye witness- I would look at the phone records and have ms. fox take a lie detector test she doesn't pass the smell test to me on this

Are these the Cordle and Cordle people who do all that divorce advertising, especially on the radio? Guess it's true that the best way to get a lawyer is through personal references so you more reliably know what type people they are and not through what they say in advertising. And, lawyers are no more dishonest than the rest of society. Just because you don't agree with the other side doesn't mean lawyers are dishonest. It's ignorant to say that. Peace out.

“I’ve cooperated from the very beginning. I’ve done everything in my power to assist the police," said Ms. Cordle. If that were true, why did she drive off immediately after the explosion when Ms. Fox said she was calling the police? If she were willing to "cooperate from the beginning" she would have waited for the police to arrive and give them a statement.

Check the police report and the fire department reports. Ms. Cordle was the one on the scene making statements to the police and fire department personnel as soon as they arrived. Apparently, she didn't flee the scene.

*We welcome your comments on the stories and issues of the day and seek to provide a forum for the community to voice opinions. All comments are subject to moderator approval before being made visible on the website but are not edited. The use of profanity, obscene and vulgar language, hate speech, and racial slurs is strictly prohibited. Advertisements, promotions, and spam will also be rejected. Please read our terms of service for full guides